Quebecois architect Alain Carle has recently completed the interior of the fourth Aesop store in Montréal. Located a stone’s throw from the Lachine canal, the store’s present surrounds include some of Montréal’s best eateries of note. Decades previous, however, Petite Bourgogne was lauded as a hub for musical creativity.
Drawing influence from the neighbourhood’s jazz heyday, when the music of Oscar Peterson or the Sealey Brothers could be heard from the streets, Aesop Petite Bourgogne evokes the mood of a private club.
Rounded and winding as the shapes of a wind instrument, brass displays and curvilinear wood frames the space in hooded intimacy. Palettes of dark green and velvety textiles give this 825- square foot space the feel of a nighttime venue, while the oval-shaped basin and point-of-sale create easy motion through the store.
Smooth movement characterizes Aesop Petite Bourgogne, a decidedly warm and intimate interior experience. The space invites for meaningful conversations on skin care, and, in line with Aesop’s approach to retail, acts a place of respite, a departure from an otherwise busied street.
Alain Carle Architecte has also designed an Aesop store in the nearby area of Westmount, while another in Mile End features rustic timber and limestone elements by local studio Naturehumaine.
